Ways of forming imperatives
There are no special imperative verb forms or imperative sentence structures in Navajo. Any sentence with a second or a fourth person subject can be understood as imperative as long as the meaning of the rest of the sentence allows it.
Navajo has sentences that can be used as commands or requests, formed with a second person subject, with the verb in certain modes. There also are less direct ways of making commands or requests that are formed with a fourth person subject. These sentences can be affirmative or negative. Below are examples of each of these:
Second Person Affirmation
Shíká | ’anilyeed. |
1-for | 2-run.I |
Help me. / You’re helping me. (lit. You’re running for me.) |
Second Person Negation
Optative
Mósí | ch’óółt’e’. |
cat | out-3-2-take.Opt |
Don’t put the cat out! (YMM 1992:882) [[CHECK with speakers]] |
Optative + lágo
Mósí | ch’óółt’e’ | lágo. |
cat | out-3-2-carry.O | hope.not |
Don’t put the cat out! / I hope you don’t put the cat out. |
t’áadoo V-í
T’áadoo | ’anit’íní! |
neg | 2-do.NI-Í |
Don’t do that! |
Fourth Person Affirmative
Hatáaldi | jigháahgo | hozhdísin | łeh. |
ceremony-at | 4-go.I-GO | 4-respect.NI | usually |
One should be respectful when one goes to a ceremony. |
Fourth Person Negation
Doo | ’ájíníi | da! |
neg | 4-say.NI | -neg |
One doesn’t say that! |
The imperfective mode yields an immediate imperative (i.e., something that requires immediate action), and the future mode is more likely to be used for commands that are less immediate. The optative mode is often used with imperative negations. See also Reichard (1951:137), YM (1987:204), and YMM (1992:881f.). YM (1987:204-5) presents examples of imperatives in numerous aspects. We do not repeat this work here but refer the reader to these sources.
In Navajo, commands seem to be indirect, arising by implication and inference. Sentences with fourth person subjects are often general statements about what constitutes good behavior. The person spoken to is left to infer that the reason the speaker chose to utter the general statement is to affect the hearer’s behavior. Hence, there can be an implication of a command. Statements using the optative mode with lágo express the hopes of the speaker (‘I hope you don’t do this’ or ‘I hope that doesn’t happen’). The behavior in question is understood to be inconsistent with the speaker's desires. If the speaker is in a position of authority, the result is an indirect imperative.
Glossing conventions and a note on morphology are here [link].
An example search has returned 50 entries
’Ahwééh bee yishdlį́hígíí bikáá’ ’adání bikáá’ dah yish’ááh.
coffee 3-with 3-1-drink.P-NOM table 3-on up 3-1-put.SRO.UWhenever I finish drinking coffee I place it (the cup) on the table.
bookmark- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yishdlą́ drink itfind in Navajo Verb Modeslook up conjugationhide conjugation ▾
- Usitative (U)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- instrumental
- -káá’ on, on top offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
’Ałk’idą́ą́’ shimá bił na’nishkaadgo ’aghaa’ yisdizígíí dibé yázhí yichíihgo yizénéíłt’ih.
long ago 1-mother 3-with SUP-1-herd.I-GO wool 3-spin.P-ígíí lamb 3-birth.P-GO 3-neck-around-3-tie.PLong ago, while herding sheep with my mother, she used to tie a yarn around the newborn lamb’s neck.
bookmark- ’ałk’idą́ą́’ long ago, formerlyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -dą́ą́’ past timefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- na’nishkaad herd, go out herdingfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
’Ííłta’ dóó ’iiłghaazh.
1-read.P CONJ 1-sleep.PBéégashii báháchxį’go bik’ee neeshchééł.
cattle 3-become.angry.I-GO 3-on.account.of 1-flee.ProgI am fleeing the angry bull.
bookmark- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- háchį’ become angryfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -k’ee on account offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Progressive (Prog)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- neeshchééł flee, run away fromfind in Navajo Verb Modes
bik’ídiidis
3DO-1dpl-wrap.it.around.it.IDaané’é baa na’aldeehdi ’at’ééd jooł yídzoołtał.
game 3-to 3-happen.CI-at girl ball 3-3-kick.Progdadoohsį́į́ł
pl-3DO-2dpl-eat.it.Fdadoołbish
pl-3DO-2dpl-boil.it.Fdajitł’ó
pl-3DO-4dpl-weave.it.Idaoo’aal
pl-3DO-2dpl-chew.it.Pdeiidlą́ą́’
pl-3DO-1dpl-drink.it.Pdidadiiljéé’
pl-3DO-1dpl-start.fire.Pdidazhdiłjeeh
pl-3DO-4dpl-start.fire.Ididiiljéé’
3DO-1dpl-start.fire.Pdizhdínóołkał
3DO-4-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Fstart to herd them (animals), 4th person
bookmarkDíí tł’éé’ t’áá ká dóola dá’ák’eólyeed lágo.
this night NEG bull into.field-3-run.O hope.not LÁGODoo ’áłah dadiidleeł da.
NEG together pl-1dpl-meet.pl.F NEGdoołbish
3DO-2dpl-boil.it.Fdínółkaad
3DO-2dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Istart to herd them (animals), 2nd person dual
bookmarkdíłhį́į́h
3DO-2-melt.it.IGohwééh t’áá bizhání ’éí doodaii’ ’abe’ biłgo daats’í nínízin?
coffee only TOP or milk perhaps 3-with 3-2-want.NIhadazhdoołtééł
pl-3DO-4dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.Fcarry him/her up out of something, 4th person plural
bookmarkhayííłgizh
3DO-3-cut.it.out.Phazhniłchaad
3DO-4-card.it.(as.in.wool).IHáágóó lá Bíl doogááł nízin Jáan?
where-toward Q Bill 3-go.sg.F 3-want.CI JohnMary ha’át’íí yinízin?
Mary what 3-3-want.NIMexicogóó daashin déyáa ni’.
Mexico-to was.it 2-go.I NI’Na’ashǫ́’ii doo baa nijit’į́į́ da.
snake NEG 3-with 4-bother.O NEGNa’nízhoozhígóó deeyá, ya’?
Gallup-toward 2-go.sg.F QNichxǫ' doo ájíléeh da.
stop NEG 3-4-make.I NEGNichxǫ' doo ájíníi da.
stop NEG 4-say.thus.NI NEGNichxǫ' doo ájít’į́į da.
stop NEG 4-act.thus.I NEGNíká ’adeeshwoł biniiyé níyá.
2-for 1-run.F 3-purpose.of 1-came.PI came to help you.
bookmark- -ká after, forfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yishwoł run alongfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -niiyé for the purpose of, tofind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nishááh come, arrivefind in Navajo Verb Modes
Níwe, bíni'dii ’ałwosh!
stop 3-let 3-sleep.IShibéézh bik’í’óshch’iid le’ ’éé’ bitahgi yóó’ ’eelts’id.
1-knife 1-find.it.O clothes 3-among 3-move.PShicheii bighangóó yishááł.
1-grandfather house-toward 1-go.ProgShimá bighangóó náshdáahgo łééchąą’í baná’ástso’.
1-mother 3-house-toward again-1-go-GO dog 3-again-1-feed.RShimá bighangóó shíni’ ńt’éé’ ch’ééh déyáago shił náhoogéé’.
1-mother 3-home-to 1-desire.to.go past in.vain 1-go.P-GO 1-with ho-become.lazy.XI wanted to go to my mother’s house however I was tired and became lazy.
bookmarkShí ’éí t’áá naanishdóó kingóó déyá.
I TOP just work-from town-to 1-go.IAs for me, I went to the town from work.
bookmark- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- déyá gofind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -dóó from a specific location or point in space or timefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- goal
Shínaaí shíká ’adoolwoł nisin ńt’éé’ ’áłt’ąą t’áadoo níyáa da.
1-older.brother 1-for 3-run.F 1-want.NI but after.all NEG 3-come.sg.P NEGI wanted my older brother to help me but unfortunately he didn’t come.
bookmark- -ká after, forfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- benefactive
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yishwoł run alongfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nisin think, wantfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- ’áłt’ąą after allfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- t’áadoo notfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nishááh come, arrivefind in Navajo Verb Modes
Sohodizingo t’áá ká nídoó’nééh.
prayer-GO neg 2-get.up.OTį’ ninádeiilnish.
let’s.go again-pl-1dpl-work.RTó lą’ígo nidlą́ ’áko bee nitah yá’áh’hoot’ééh dooleeł.
water many 3-2-drink.DI so 3-with 2-among pl-3-good.NI futureDrink lots of water so that you can be healthy.
bookmark- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áko so, so that, so thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -tah, -taa-, -ta- among, mixingfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- dooleeł futurefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
Tsé’áándę́ę́’ dóó tsédáajį’ ninish’na’.
cave-from and cliff-to 1-crawl.PI crawled out of the cave and to the edge of the cliff.
bookmark- -dę́ę́’ from a general location or point in space or time, also out of, off offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- dóó and, and thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -jį́’ up to, as far asfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ninish’nééh crawl to a pointfind in Navajo Verb Modes